Patents by Inventor Wilhelm Stapel

Wilhelm Stapel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4998490
    Abstract: A sewing machine has at least one rotating top thread hook, the hook enclosing a bobbin housing which accommodates a bottom thread. A spring bar is mounted in the base of the sewing machine and has a free end for bearing against the bobbin housing. The free end of the spring bar is displaceable by the top thread as it is being looped. To prevent unwanted displacement or oscillation of the spring bar, a cam is disposed in the base closely adjacent to the free end of the spring bar. The cam prevents displacement of the free end beyond a predetermined range of displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Durkoppwerke GmbH
    Inventors: Hans R. Goebbels, Kurt Biermann, Gerhard Steppat, Wilhelm Stapel, Michael Rosemann, Klaus D. Seiler
  • Patent number: 4981094
    Abstract: A device in a sewing machine for applying a variable downward force to a presser bar. A guide lever engages the presser bar and in turn is urged downward by the force of a spring. The bottom of the spring is held fixed to a lock sleeve on the guide lever. The top of the spring is fixed to a sleeve on a shaft which is disposed vertically inside the spring. The shaft passes freely out the bottom of the spring and through the guide lever without engaging either of these. The shaft and thereby the top of the spring are urged downward by a controllable pneumatic device in order to set the compression of the spring and thereby the downward force applied to the pressure bar by the guide lever. The pneumatic device preferably includes a pair of separately controlled pneumatic pistions arranged in series for moving the shaft to at least two predetermined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Durkoppwerke GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Stapel, Hans-Rolf Goebbels
  • Patent number: 4815404
    Abstract: A servo device for a multineedle sewing machine which includes two needle bars; driving and steop devices for said needle bars; devices for engaging and disengaging the two needle bars relative to the driving and stop devices; a feed-length adjustment device associated with at least one feed dog for the transport of the material being sewn; an adjustable thread tensioning device for the needle threads; devices for locking each needle bar selectively in its highest position; a positioning drive for the multineedle sewing machine; and a device including a position indicator attached to an arm shaft of the multineedle sewing machine, for adjusting the speed of rotation and positioning of the needle bars in predetermined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Durkoppwerke GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Ellermann, Wilhelm Stapel, Gunter Droste
  • Patent number: 4364319
    Abstract: In a double-needle lock-stitch sewing machine, an assembly for arresting threads being drawn from the needles by an uptake stroke of a thread lever, thereby ensuring predetermined lengths of thread at the needles for an ensuing stitch, comprises a spring-loaded clamp disposed between the sewing lever and the needles. The clamp is periodically actuatable via a system of levers in the sewing-machine head by a cam mounted on the sewing-machine base and cooperating with a radial lug on a shaft driving a rotary thread gripper and bobbin holder. A spring-loaded plate engaging a pair of thread-tension control disks is pivotable by the lever system to release the disks upon actuation of the clamp. The clamp is particularly useful in controlling the length of a leading thread portion prior to beginning a sewing seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: Durkoppwerke GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Niehaus, Gunter Droste, Wilhelm Stapel
  • Patent number: 4137858
    Abstract: A bobbin and gripper assembly for a double-lock-stitch sewing machine has a stitch plate lying in a horizontal plane and a gripper rotatable in a horizontal plane below the stitch plate and receiving a bobbin housing. The latter is provided with a retaining finger which cooperates with abutments formed on the underside of the stitch plate to retain the bobbin housing against rotation with the gripper. In addition, the bobbin housing is held by a spring member which is effective to yieldably retard the bobbin against rotation in the direction of rotation of the gripper by friction therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1979
    Assignee: Durkoppwerke GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Stapel, Gunter Droste, Klaus-Dieter Seiler
  • Patent number: 4074645
    Abstract: A controlled braking device for the gripper-thread bobbin of a double lock-stitch sewing machine has a braking element which, by means of a brake piston or plunger in the axial bore of the spindle carrying the bobbin, is shiftable to engage the latter. The plunger is engaged by a rod reaching upwardly through an opening in the bottom of the spindle. The brake element is displaced laterally into engagement with the core of the bobbin or axially thereagainst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Assignee: Durkoppwerke GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Droste, Klaus-Dieter Seiler, Wilhelm Stapel